AWAKENING
1309 Words
MIA'S POV
I stood in front of the huge wardrobe, heart still racing from everything that had happened. My fingers trembled slightly as I reached for the double doors. I pulled them open slowly.
Inside, rows of clothes hung neatly. Casual jeans and soft blouses. Hoodies in my favorite colors. Comfortable sneakers lined the bottom shelf. Pajamas folded perfectly. Toiletries sat in a basket on one side. A warm winter coat hung on the far left. Several elegant handbags rested on a shelf above.
I stared at everything, my mouth falling open.
"Did... did he buy all this?" I whispered. My voice came out small and shaky. Shock held me frozen in place. Amazement made my eyes widen. No one had ever done something like this for me. The thought made my chest tighten with a confusing mix of gratitude and disbelief.
I reached out and touched a soft gray hoodie. The fabric felt expensive under my fingers. Everything looked new. Everything looked chosen with care. My mind spun. When had he found the time to do all this? We had only signed the contract yesterday.
Before I could process it fully, a knock sounded on the door. I jumped and quickly closed the wardrobe doors. I rushed across the room, smoothing my clothes as I went. I opened the door to find Kate standing there. In her hands she held a large white box tied with a simple ribbon.
“Mr. Ryan asked me to give you this,” she said. Her smile was polite and professional.
I was still too shocked to speak properly. I composed myself as best I could and nodded, taking the box from her. “Thank you.”
“I will send a stylist to help with your makeup and hair shortly,” Kate continued. “Make it quick. Mr. Ryan has a busy schedule today.”
I opened my mouth to refuse. I did not need a stylist. I could handle myself. But Kate had already turned and walked away down the hallway, leaving me standing there with the box in my arms.
I closed the door and rushed back to the bed. Without even looking inside, I set the box down and began undressing quickly. I needed to shower and clear my head. In a few minutes I stepped out of the bathroom, hair damp and wrapped in a white towel. Another towel was tied securely around my chest.
I was about to dry my hair when another knock sounded on the door. I turned left and right, panic rising. I was still in nothing but towels. The knock came again, leaving me no time to think. I rushed to the box on the bed and opened it, calling out, “Wait a moment. I am coming.”
Inside lay a beautiful dark brown event dress. The fabric shimmered softly under the light. It had a fitted bodice with delicate straps and a flowing skirt that would reach just above the knee. A subtle slit on one side gave it a touch of elegance and allure. The color perfectly complemented dark brown hair like mine. It looked sexy without being too revealing. Sophisticated. Expensive. The kind of dress I had only seen in magazines.
I swallowed hard. I did not have time to admire it. I pulled it on as quickly as I could and rushed to the door. When I opened it, a young woman with a bright smile stood there.
“I am the makeup artist,” she said cheerfully.
Of course she was. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I hated makeup. I was used to sweatpants and oversized shirts.
Even though I had spent two years helping Logan build his career, he had never once invited me to a public event. He always said it wasn't necessary. I stayed behind the scenes while he stood in the spotlight. I pushed the memory away. Logan was my past. I refused to let him live in my head any longer.
But this was part of the job now. So I welcomed her inside and closed the door.
“Let me help with your dress,” she offered kindly.
It was then that I realized I had put it on wrong. The woman gave me a warm smile and helped adjust it without any judgment. I felt my face burn with embarrassment. I was so used to comfortable clothes. Now I was supposed to fit into this world of expensive dresses and perfect appearances.
When she finished, she guided me to the dressing table. She started applying makeup with gentle, skilled hands. Then she styled my dark brown hair into soft waves that framed my face beautifully. By the time she stepped back, I felt something heavy on my face and head. I almost hated the feeling until she smiled and said, “Look straight at the mirror.”
I turned and gasped. The woman staring back at me looked nothing like the everyday Mia I knew. My green eyes appeared brighter, framed by soft, natural-looking makeup that brought out their colour. My skin glowed. My dark brown hair fell in elegant waves over my shoulders. The dress hugged my figure in all the right places, making me look confident and beautiful. I looked like someone who belonged in Ryan’s world.
I could not breathe. I could not speak. I simply stared.
“Do you like it?” the stylist asked.
“I love it, thank you so much,” I whispered, a genuine smile breaking across my face.
She looked surprised and touched. “No one has ever thanked me like that before. You are very kind.”
Her words warmed me. I thanked her again as she handed me a pair of black stilettos. I swallowed hard. I was not used to heels. But I slipped them on and walked around the room carefully. Good. I still remembered how to walk in them. I smiled at my new appearance and thanked the stylist once more.
Before I could say anything else, the door opened. Kate walked in. She stopped for a second, clearly surprised by how I looked. She quickly composed herself and returned to her professional expression.
“Mr. Ryan is waiting for you downstairs,” she said.
I nodded and quickly grabbed my phone from the bedside table and slipped it into the small clutch that came with the dress before following Kate downstairs.
As we descended the stairs, my heels clicked softly against the marble. Ryan stood at the bottom, checking something on his phone. He must have heard the footsteps because he turned around.
What he saw left him completely still. His mouth opened slightly. His eyes widened. Ryan went completely still. His lips parted slightly, and for a long moment, he simply stared at me. His gaze slowly traveled from my heels to my face before settling on my eyes.
“Beautiful,” he whispered.
Then he smiled, soft and genuine. “I knew the dress would suit you, but… I did not expect this.”
My heart skipped. The way he looked at me made the air feel thinner. I continued down the stairs, trying to ignore how intensely his eyes stayed on me. This was business. Nothing more. Yet the way he looked at me made it difficult to remember that.
He offered his arm when I reached the bottom. I took it hesitantly. His arm felt warm and strong under my fingers. We walked toward the door together. As he opened the passenger door for me, he leaned closer, his voice low.
“Ready?”
“For what?”
A slow smile spread across his face.
“To make your ex regret everything.”
My heartbeat skipped. Maybe signing that contract had just changed both our lives forever.
- Writer
